søndag 23. august 2009

Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann (GBX16)

Born on 22 April 1914 in Bavaria, Michael Wittmann became perhaps the best recognised, even legendary, tank ace of World War II. His military career started in 1934 when he joined the army as an infantry soldier. This early training sparked Wittmann’s interest in tanks.

In 1936 at the end of his enlistment, he joined the Allgemeine-SS and began his career in the SS-Verfügungstruppe, the military branch of the SS. When the war began, Wittmann was still in training as an armoured car commander. After only a short combat stint in Poland commanding an armoured car with just a 2cm, he found himself transferred to a Sturmgeschütz assault gun with a 7.5cm gun. While his performance in the subsequent Balkan campaign was good, it would be in Russia that his talents became obvious.

In his first summer in Russia, Wittmann was awarded the Iron Cross Second Class, soon followed by the Iron Cross First Class. In the spring of 1943, he joined the Liebstandarte SS Adolf Hitler Division’s 13th Panzer Company as a Tiger tank commander. By 1944, he had the Knights Cross with Oak Leaves for his gallant service in combat.

Villers-Bocage would be his heyday. In a single day he stopped, almost single-handedly, an entire British Armoured Division and saved the flank of the Panzer Lehr Division from being trapped and destroyed, earning the Swords for his Knights Cross in the process.

He died a soldier’s death on 8 August at Gaumesnil, south of Caen, leading his Tiger tanks into battle one last time.

Wittmann In Flames Of War

Like all SS soldiers, Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann puts the Fatherland before his personal ambitions. He is not afraid to die for his country.

Having many battles behind him and serving in the most arduous conditions imaginable he knows how to fight and live. Already his tally of kill rings covers the barrel of his Tiger tank.

Characteristics

Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann is a Warrior and a Company Command Tank team rated asFearless Veteran.

Wittmann can join any Schwere SS-Panzerkompanie and replaces the Company Command Tiger I E tank team for +100 points. Wittmann takes over the Company Command Tiger tank as his own tank.

As Wittmann is a Warrior, he does not roll for Tiger Ace skills.

Hero of the Fatherland:Michael Wittmann is one of Germany’s greatest heroes. Every boy knows his exploits and wants to emulate them.

If Wittmann is Destroyed during a game the morale of the entire German people takes a heavy blow, despite any other gains, and the German player loses one Victory Point and their opponent gains one Victory Point at the end of the battle.

Special Rules

Obersturmführer Michael Wittmann

Ambush!: Michael Wittmann was a man on the go, always manoeuvring to a position of advantage before striking the enemy. His favourite tactic was to strike from the flanks, where the enemy least expected it.

Wittmann may be deployed using the Ambush special rule on page 196 of the rulebook in addition to any other platoons that would normally be deployed in Ambush. Wittmann may deploy in Ambush even in missions that do not normally use the Ambush special rule.

Sturmmann Günther Jonas – radio

For the Commander!: Wittmann’s ability to get the most out of the men in his command was extraordinary. They would follow him anywhere. It is up to Sturmmann Jonas, the radio operator, to keep Wittmann in touch with his entire command.

Wittmann and any platoon led by him always pass Motivation Tests on a roll of 2+.

Unterscharführer Walter Müller – driver

Grind them Under: Unterscharführer Müller always keeps the tank moving while assaulting infantry, grinding them under the tank’s tracks as he goes.

Any team that assaults Wittmann must re-roll the successful Skill Test to hit for any hit allocated to his tank in an assault combat. If they pass this test they get past the tracks and the tank must make an Armour Save as normal.

If the re-roll failed, than the assaulting troops have not hit the tank and the hit is ignored.

Unterscharführer Balthasar Woll – gunner
Every Shot Counts!: Unterscharführer ‘Bobby’ Woll always set his sight for 800 meters and left it there. He felt it only slowed him down to re-calibrate the distance every time he shot. He simply overshot or undershot the reticule depending on the distance he felt the enemy was at.

While the experts of tank gunnery chastised him for his methods, he only rarely missed, making Wittmann appreciate him even more. Wittmann’s Tiger tank may re-roll any failed roll To Hit when it shoots. Sturmmann Günter Boldt – loader

Rapid Fire!: Sturmmann Boldt is the gun’s loader. As fast as Bobby can acquire targets Günter can load the gun. This combination keeps their Tiger firing faster than any other in the company.

The 8.8cm tank gun of Wittmann’s Tiger tank has ROF 3 when stationary and ROF 2 when moving.